Jennifer Capriati hasn’t gotten around to watching a tape of one of the most thrilling French Open finals in history.
She was there, of course, for the live version–one she hopes to re-create in two weeks by retaining her title at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament.
Picking up where she left off in Paris, the top-seeded Capriati practiced Sunday morning with Kim Clijsters, the Belgian who lost that 1-6, 6-4, 12-10 marathon for the 2001 championship.
The 22 games were the most in a third set of a French Open women’s final, and the most in a third set of a major women’s final since the 1948 U.S. Open.
“I really haven’t seen it again,” Capriati said. “I only remember playing it.”
The French Open gets under way Monday on center court at Roland Garros with No. 2-seeded Venus Williams playing Bianka Lamade, followed by three-time men’s champion Gustavo Kuerten against Ivo Heuberger.
No. 4 Clijsters and No. 6 Monica Seles also play first-round matches Monday.
– Felix Mantilla, a 1998 men’s semifinalist who injured ribs recently in a car accident, became the latest withdrawal from the French Open. He will be replaced in the draw by Feliciano Lopez, a loser from the qualifying round.
